Aerator



United States Patent O AERATOR John E. Galazin, Elyria, Ohio Application November 14, 1955, Serial No. 546,347 11 Claims. (Cl. 97--52) This invention relates to aerators and in particular to an aerator in which the penetrators are self cleaning or moveable relative to each other. The invention also relates to an aereator in which the penetrators are pivoted on a wheel for insertion in the ground.

Various types of areators have been designed which have penetrators mounted on a wheel and extending outwardly therefrom for penetrating the earth. In someof these prior devices the penetrators were pivoted to the wheel and complex spring arrangements were used to pivot the penetrator relative to the wheel and position it for penetrating the earth. However none of the prior devices illustrated the simple and easily constructed and maintained structure described herein.

Therefore one of the objects of the invention is to provide an aerator in which penetrators are self cleanmg.

Another object of the invention is to provide an aerator which has at least a penetrator pivoted on an earth engaging wheel and a tripper to move the penetrator into position for entering the earth.

Another object of the invention is to provide an aerator which has a` pair of earth engaging wheels with penetrators pivoted on each wheel and cooperating with each other and a tripper to position the penetrators for entering the earth and to move one penetrator relative to the other.

Another object of the invention s to provide an aerator with an earth engaging wheel and a penetrator pivoted to the wheel in such a manner that the penetrator will be moved into and out of the earth in a path generally transverse to the movement of the aerator over the earth.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the following description and claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan elevational view of an aerator wheel:

Fig. 2 is a sectional view along the line 2 2 of Fig. 1: and

Fig. 3 illustrates a modification of the invention.

The aerator illustrated in Figs. l and 2 is a single unit or section which is complete in itself. lt is understood that if desired a plurality of these sections may be joined together so that the total work done by the unit will be multiplied by the number of the sections in the unit. However for purposes of clarity only a single section is illustrated and described herein.

The aerator comprises a supporting structure, such as axle lil, on which are mounted left and right earth engaging wheels 11 and 12. lt is understood that the terms left and right are used for clarity when referring to the drawings and that these wheels may be identical to each other, as illustrated or they may be of different design from each other. The wheels 11 and 12 are rotatably mounted on the axle and are spaced apart axially therealong. rl`he first or left wheel 11 pivotally supports a left penetrator 13 and the right wheel 12 pivotal- 1y supports a right penetrator 14 as illustrated. These Patented Oct. 21, 1958 ICC` penetrators 13 and 14 are aligned for cooperative and coordinated movement relative to each other and are mounted between the left and right Wheels. The left penetrator 13 has a pivot projection 15 extending into a pivot hole 16 located between the circumference 17 and the center of the wheel 11.

This penetrator 13 is described as having a penetrating end 1S extending beyond the circumference of the wheel and terminating in a point 19. The penetrator 13 also has a portion provided with an arcuate slot 20 which receives a stop portion 21 of the wheel 11 to limit pivotal movement of the penetrator 13 relative to the wheel 11. v

The stop portion 21 may be in the form of a bolt extending through both wheels to hold the wheels together. When such a bolt is used to hold the wheels together, as is illustrated, 'the bolt extends through a hole 121 in penetrato-r 14. lf the stop is not in the form of a bolt, it only has to extend into the slot 20 and separate bolts can be used in a remote position to secure the wheels together.

The right penetrator 1d is provided with a pivot projection 22. extending in a right pivot hole 23 in the right wheel 12 at a position between the circumference and the center of the right wheel. The pivot position or the pivot projection and pivot hole of the right penetrator is at a distance from the center of the wheel not equal to the distance that the left penetrator is pivotally mounted from the center of the wheel. In this particular instance, the right penetrator is mounted closer to the center of the axis of the wheel or to the axle and both penetrators are mounted on their respective wheels on` the same radius line, if the wheels are superimposed one on the other in a drawing.

The right penetrator 14 has a penetrating end 24 terminating in a point 25 with the point 25 located beyond the circumference of the wheel. The penetrator also has a tripper portion 26 extending generally towards the center of the wheel or axle 10 from the pivot projection 22 and positioned for engagement by .a resilient tripping means 29 mounted on the axle 16. The resilient tripping means on the supporting axle 10 is designed to engage the tripper portion 2o and pivot the penetrator 14 relative to the wheel 12 as the wheel is rotated. The penetrator end 24 is provided with lugs 27 which abut the penetrating end 1t; to cause pivotal movement of the left penetrator when the right penetrator is pivoted.

The resilient means 29, for tripping the penetrators or pivotally moving them, may be constructed from a pin or bolt 3l) carried by the axle 10 and extending radially outwardly therefrom and between the wheels 11 and 12. A tripper head cap 31 on the bolt 3l) is normally positioned away from the axle 1l) and in the path of revolution of the tripper portion 26 by a resilient member, such as coil spring 32. As the wheel rotates it moves the tripper portion 26 against the side of the tripper cap 31, thus positioning the parts as illustrated in the top of Fig. 1. Continued rotation of the wheel causes the tripper to pivot the penetrators relative to the wheels and also relative to each other. After the penetrators have been pivoted the tripper portion 26 slides over the tripper cap 31 and urges it towards the axle. The spring 32 then moves the tripper cap to its normal position for engaging the tripper portion of succeding penetrators. The penetrators which have just been pivoted are in position, as I have illustrated on the left hand side of Fig. l, for entering the earth. The position of penetrators relative to the wheels and to each other as they are removed from the earth are better illustrated in the lower right hand side of Fig. l.

The disclosed device provides an eflicient tripping mechanism which is simple in operation and easy to maintain. When the left and right penetrators are used in cooperative alignment, the penetrators are self cleaning. The self cleaning operation is caused by the pivotal movement of the penetrators relative to each other, as well as relative to the wheels. 1n using the device, an operator simply pushes or pulls it along the ground in either direction of rotation. 1t is understood that variations in the amount of pivoted movement or in limit positions may be changed by changing the position of or the dimensions of the lugs 27 or the position of the slot 20.

If it is desired to have the penetrators pivoted relative to each other while they are in the earth an arrangement as illustrated in Fig. 3 may be used. 1n this modification the penetrator 113 will have a slot 120 which is longer than the slot 2t) in penetrator 13. Also the penetrator 114 will have lugs 127 which are closer together than the lugs 27 on penetrator 14. This arrangement operates as follows when the penetrators 113 and 114 engage the earth. At the wheel rotates penetrator 113 engages the earth first and the lug 127 on the left side rests against the penetrator 113. A-s the wheel progresses both penetrators 113 and 114 engage the earth with their points separated from each other making a slot in the earth. Continued rotation of the wheel will remove the penetrators from the earth and engagement with tripper will again position them for the next penetration.

Although the invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity in its preferred form, it is understood that the present disclosure of the preferred form has been made only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of the construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. An aerator comprising, an axle, rst and second earth engaging wheels rotatably mounted on the axle, a first earth penetrator pivoted to said first wheel, a second penetrator pivoted to said second wheel, said first penetrator having a penetrating end extending beyond the circumference of the wheel, said tirst penetrator also Vhaving a tripping end extending generally towards the axle, said second penetrator having a penetrating end and extending beyond the circumference of the wheel, said penetrators having cooperating means causing pivotal movement of the second penetrator relative to the second wheel upon pivotal movement of the first penetrator relative to the first wheel, and resilient means on said axle engageable with said tripping end of said first penetrator upon rotation of the wheels about the axle to pivot the penetrators relative to the wheels.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein Said wheels are secured together and said penetrators are located between the wheels.

3. The structure of claim 1 wherein said wheels and said penetrators have limit stop means limiting the pivotal movement of the penetrators relative to the wheels.

4. The structure of claim l wherein said resilient means consists of a pin carried by the axle and extending radially therefrom, a cap on the pin and engageable by the tripping end, and a resilient member compressed between the cap and axle.

5. An aerator compri-sing, an axle, first and second earth engaging wheels rotatably mounted on the axle and spaced apart, a first earth penetrator pivoted to said first wheel at a first distance from theaxle, a second penetrator pivoted to said second wheel at a second distance from the axle, said first penetrator having a penetrating end extending beyond the circumference of the Wheel and terminating in a point, said first penetrator also having a tripping end extending generally towards the axle, said second penetrator having a penetrating end extending beyond the circumference of the wheel and terminating in a point, said penetrators having cooperating means causing pivotal movement of the second penetrator relative to the second wheel upon pivotal movement of the first penetrator relative to the first wheel, and resilient means on said axle engageable with said tripping end of first penetrator upon rotation of the wheels about the axle to pivot the penetrators relative to the wheels.

6. The structure of claim 5 wherein said wheels are secured together and said penetrators are located between the wheels.

7. The structure of claim 5 wherein said second distance is greater than said first distance.

8. The structure of claim 5 wherein said wheels and said penetrators have a limit `stop means limiting the pivotal movement of the penetrators relative to the wheels.

9. The structure of claim 5 wherein said resilient means consists of a pin carried by the axle and extending radially therefrom, a cap on said pin engageable by the tripping end, and a resilient member compressed between the cap and the axle.

10. An aerator comprising, an axle, a pair of earth engageable wheels rotatably mounted on said axle and spaced apart, earth penetrators, one pivoted to each wheel, each penetrator having a penetrating point extending outwardly from the wheels to penetrate the earth, one of said penetrators having a tripper end and a pair of spaced stop projections, the other of said penetrators extending between said stop projections, and having an arcuate slot, a pin in one of the wheels extending in said arcuate slot and cooperating with said stop projections to align the penetrating ends of the penetrators relative to each other.

1l. The structure of claim 10 wherein said penetrators are pivoted to their respective wheels at unequal distances from said axle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 32,981 Crane Aug. 6,v 1861 1,145,147 Johnson July 6, 1915 1,174,921 Wilson Mar. 7, 1916 1,300,595 Fonnesbeck Apr. 15, 1919 2,042,597 Hargreaves June 2, 1936 2,325,997 Kelly et al. Aug. 3, 1943 2,700,926 Goit Feb. 1, 1955 

